During racing competitions held in warmer climates or during the summer months the temperatures inside the racing vehicles can become very high. The heat from the engine, the other cars, and the racetrack surface has a cumulative effect on the temperature inside the vehicle and may expose the driver to extreme temperatures during the course of a race.
There are many physical problems that may result from prolonged exposure to heat including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration. For most racing applications there are existing devices for cooling the driver's helmet during the race. There have also been attempts at providing articles of clothing for cooling the body of the driver during the race. The previous methods for cooling the body under race conditions have not been accepted for several reasons including the complexity of the systems and the discomfort associated with use of the systems particularly over an extended period of time.
When adding a cooling system to a car designed for competition, the most important factors are weight and electrical power requirements. Both of these factors can reduce the horsepower output from the engine. Accordingly, the decision to add weight or to increase the electrical load must be considered carefully. Extra weight slows down the vehicle, and extra consumption of power requires more of the horsepower from the engine to be used for electrical power requirements.
What is needed is a body cooling system that requires a minimum of electrical current, that adds a minimum of extra weight to the vehicle, that is safe and reliable, and that comfortably cools the body of a driver during a race.